All posts tagged ‘kindie’

You might not ordinarily associate “law school dean” with indie rock, but Bill Childs, professor and associate dean at Western New England College of Law, might force you to reconsider. With his children Ella and Liam, Bill hosts “Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child,” a radio show (WRSI & Valley Free Radio) and podcast devoted to music that families might actually enjoy listening to. A former record store manager, his musical interests range considerably farther afield than most.

In August, Bill Childs and Dean Jones released the first record on Spare the Rock label: Many Hands: Family Music for Haiti, a compilation that raises awareness of, and funds for, the continuing needs of the Haitian people after January’s earthquake. The compilation features mostly-all-new tracks from Jonathan Coulton, They Might Be Giants, Dan Zanes, Elizabeth Mitchell, Lunch Money, Frances England, Secret Agent 23 Skiddoo, and many, many more.

In addition to the album, there are three upcoming shows featuring various combinations of the artists — in Brooklyn & Portland on September 11, and in Northampton, Massachusetts (Bill’s base of operations) on Sept. 26. Tickets for each are available here.

It’s an amazing CD, in service to a worthy cause. Bill Childs and I discussed “Spare the Rock” & Many Hands over e-mail: